South Carolina 78, Akron 45: Brenton Williams scored a season-high 24 points and the host Gamecocks opened the second half with a 17-1 run to beat the Zips for the second time in four days.

Williams tied a career high with six 3-pointers for South Carolina (5-6), which downed Akron 69-59 for third place in the Diamond Head Classic on Wednesday. Michael Carrera added 13 points for the Gamecocks, who hit 8-of-15 3-point attempts to tie a season high for made 3-pointers.

Quincy Diggs scored 13 points off the bench to lead Akron (6-5), which committed 21 turnovers and shot 32.5 percent from the field. Diggs finished 4-for-8 shooting; the rest of the Zips combined to shoot 9-of-32.

South Carolina led 30-24 at halftime then took control in the first eight minutes of the second half as Akron missed its first six shots. Sindarius Thornwell scored five points during the spurt, and Carrera’s layup with 12:27 to play gave South Carolina a 47-25 advantage.

The Gamecocks trailed 18-15 with 9 1/2 minutes left in the first half, but scored 15 of the next 20 points to take the lead. Williams hit two 3-pointers during the run, and Demetrius Henry’s layup with 34 seconds to play made it 30-23 South Carolina.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Gamecocks have committed 17 turnovers in the past two games after recording 29 in their previous two contests. … Akron had won 28 of its previous 34 games before the two losses to South Carolina this week. … The Gamecocks host Marshall on Monday and South Carolina State on Friday before opening SEC play Jan. 8 at No. 14 Florida.